Cap assembly for vehicle
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsMasatoshi Mori, Robert Bator, Jason Wendling, Benjamin Huttsell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cap assembly for a vehicle includes a base and a cap pivotally mounted to the base. The base can define a recess for receiving a component therein to be captured by the cap. The cap is moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position. The cap includes a locking feature that maintains the cap in the locked position and urges the cap to the locked position when nearly in the locked position. When the cap is in the locked position, the component is locked within the recess. When the cap is in the unlocked position, the component is removable from the recess.
Claims18
A door handle assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
- a base;
- a door handle pivotally mounted to the base;
- a cable assembly operatively connected to the door handle, the cable assembly having a mounting end portion seated within a recess defined in the base;
- and
- a cap rotatably connected to the base for securing the mounting end portion within the recess of the base when in a locked state with the mounting end portion seated within the recess of the base, the cap having a locking feature that urges the cap to and maintains the cap in a locked position corresponding with the locked state,
- wherein the cap is pivotally mounted to the base via a pivot shaft included on the base, the locking feature including a first cooperative configuration defined by the cap and the pivot shaft which applies a force to the cap that holds the cap in the locked position until sufficient opposing force is applied to overcome a cooperative locking engagement between the cap and the pivot shaft, the locking feature further including a second cooperative configuration defined by a locking tab defined on the cap having a mating surface and a locking shoulder defined on the base having a mating surface, the mating surfaces resting against one another when the cap is in the locked position.
A cap assembly for a vehicle door handle assembly, comprising:
- a base defining a recess;
- a component received within the recess of the base;
- and
- a cap pivotally mounted to the base for securing the component within the recess of the base, the cap movable between a locked position wherein the component is locked within the recess and an unlocked position wherein the component is removable from the recess, the cap including a locking feature that maintains the cap in the locked position and urges the cap to the locked position when nearly in the locked position,
- wherein the locking feature includes:
- a pivot shaft mounted to the base;
- a mounting portion of the cap journaled to the pivot shaft for pivotally mounting the cap to the base;
- a cam surface defined by the pivot shaft corresponding to the locked position;
- a protuberance extending radially from the mounting portion into engagement with the cam surface;
- a locking shoulder defined on the base;
- and
- a locking tab defined on the cap, the locking tab engaging the locking shoulder in the locked position.
A cap assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
- a base;
- a cap pivotally mounted to the base, the cap movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, the cap including a locking feature configured to maintain the cap in the locked position and apply a force to the cap that urges the cap to the locked position when nearly in the locked position,
- wherein the locking feature includes:
- a pivot shaft mounted to the base;
- a mounting portion of the cap journaled to the pivot shaft for pivotally mounting the cap to the base;
- a cam surface defined by the pivot shaft including a recessed portion corresponding to the locked position;
- a protuberance extending radially from the mounting portion into engagement with the cam surface;
- a locking shoulder defined by the base, the locking shoulder including a mating surface and a double-ramped portion projecting from a guide wall of the base oriented approximately perpendicular relative to the mating surface;
- and
- a locking tab defined by the cap, the locking cap including a mating surface, a guide surface oriented approximately perpendicular relative to the mating surface and a tapered surface extending from one end of the guide surface opposite the mating surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.